Unit 3.2·Macroeconomics

Components of AD

Variations in Economic Activity: Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply

AO2

Syllabus requirement

Includes consumption, investment, government spending, and net exports.

Assessment objectives
AO2 Application and Analysis

Summary

This topic describes the components that make up aggregate demand (AD): consumption (C), investment (I), government spending (G) and net exports (X − M). It explains what each component represents and how they together form the total planned expenditure in an economy, using the identity AD = C + I + G + (X − M). Understanding these components helps explain short-run changes in national output and informs macroeconomic policy choices.

Real-world examples for this unit